FARMERS AND POLITICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13490, 17 May 1907, Page 6

FARMERS AND POLITICS.

' TIME TO TAKE A HAND."

FIGHTING ! FUND ADVOCATED. THE AUCKLAND CONFERENCE The question of the formation of a separate political party by the New Zealand''Farmers' Union, with the view of taking a more active ; part In politics, ; formed the subject of an interesting discussion at the Auckland Provincial Conference of , ; the union yesterday. ; The subject had already been, dealt with in the president's address on the previous day, and yesterday the various remits on the order paper were debated. ; :-' : , '•";', '' The remits forwarded by branches were three in number. The Ohaeawai branch suggested the following motion: —" That this branch considers the, time. has. now arrived when the New Zealand Farmers' Union should take a .more active part in '.! politics." - The Provincial Executive forwarded the following remit: That the time has now arrived for thefNew Zealand Farmers' Union to form a separate political party, and run its own candidates for such seats as it is considered desirable." The third remit, which came from the Hamilton branch, was as follows:—" That it be a recommendation to the Colonial Executive that rule 14, which bars discussion of ques- ' tions of a 1 political nature, be abolished, and that the Provincial Executive be requested to co-operate with a view of'getting this recommendation carried" out.* Rule 14 reads as follows: —Any council, branch, or executive of the union may take into consideration any political question affecting the farming f or /pastoral."rprterests, but shall, as far as possible, avoid the discussion of purely partisan questions." \ ■ THE MOVER'S ARGUMENTS.; '. Mr. J. B. Clark, who opened i the discussion, on behalf of - the Ohaeawai branch, moved - the three motions, which • it was agreed to treat as one proposition. • ,He said that when- the Farmers' Union;was first formed it was agreed that" it should abstain from participation in party politics. This was a, very wise precaution at that time, as the union was then too weak to take the field. That time, ; however, had now passed, and if the union desired to save itself from annihilation \ it .. must take part in _ politics. Other unions had gone largely into politics, and were thus making their influence largely felt in Parliament, and this influence was one that - was not good for . the farmers, i 'The farmers • produced- more than three-fourths of the exports of the colony, and it was only right that they should have a greater representation in Parliament, where at present they had practically no voice. ■/;;; The result was that they were being overridden by other unions. The town and country .should work together.- The towns could riot exist without the country, but the country could . exist; fairly well without • the 'towns. The question of town against country was one that need not have arisen, but it had been forced upon them. . , '.: '■' Mr. Bell, as representing lithe Hamilton branch; seconded the motion. A present, he said, there was a' lack of free political discussions at meetings of the union, but labour unions had no such restrictions. As for the feeling, of town v. country, that bad not been engendered. by the -farmers. ' (Hear, hear.) The whole thing had come from the labour unions. He regretted this; as the best interests ': of a country would bo served by town and country'working together in harmony. . This, however, was not possible, and the farmers must take action in their own defence. •- >~ ■-~. ... Mr.; C. D. Lincoln (Maramarua): said that in the .past- farmers ' appeared = to •have .'• indulged in too much of that spirit of Christian > humility . which taught that 1 when they were, smitten On. one cheek ; lhey\' should!' present the other cheek for similar : treat-j ment. -.".He hoped that the delegates, when they returned to their respective districts, would make a point of instilling '.into the members of their branches the necessity for vigorous"and united action, in this;matter. (Hear, hear.) ....... V, ? , "TWEEDLEDUM" AND"" " ..,- \ . '.' - -DEE." ■- - --. ■ ' i3 Mr! •' S. Scruby" (Wade), J, speaking /as/* a secretary of seven, years' : standing, said that his experience, had ■been \ that many farmers would decline to join the union if it was going to go in for party politics. 'The reason seemed to be that the farmer was a slave to a. certain party. He 1 seemed to have got the idea instilled/into him that Tweedledum", was the man who. was going to do him 'good, and that he would get . more from him than from "Tw-eedledee^" 1 Personally, he'(the' speaker) I did riot'like either of them. (Laughter.) :ty Many ,■ said that the union should r have participated-in politics long ago, and he thought that they would have ■ done so . had ? they dared* They had been told that if they went into politics they : would ;;• cease to exist, but what had' they achieved by riot ' going into politics? They had ; got some small advantages in regard to such matters : as insurance, but beyond ; th^t: they t had • done practically nothing. They had pas-j sed resolution after resolution, ;saying, that this, that, -and the other should, l be done; but they had been content to accept whati ever was given to them. In "regard to > grants ■ of money doled out to :. them, they ! said, in effect, "Thanks for giving me back! • a small portion of the money. I have given I . to you." The other side had funds and spent them freely.. Personally, he did not like party politics, but whilst they had the party "system the farmers should see that their interests were properly represented. To do this they must have organi- , sation and funds. As - an electioneering organisation, the union was at* present hoI thing worthy of the name, but the';"other 'man' had a complete macnine, and' whilst sitting in his office', he played on it like: typewriter. The, farmers, he said, should - form a party of their own(hear, hear) • and go into it, if the thing -waso-jjbssible, f with clean hands. They should, if pos--1 sible, endeavour to rid the country of. the i present system of political patronage, which - left the expenditure of public funds so - largely dependent on the will of Ministers. ' It was time, that the New Zealand farmers 1 started to Remand instead of paying..Their r forefathers did "/not . go down on. bended t knees to King John, and say, "Please, ? Your Majesty, we want you to do this." i No; they said, - " If you do not do this, •something will - happen." (Laughter.) A J • later king, who thought he could do as he 1 pleased, lost his head, and yet another had •> to .flee the country. The farmers "should r be like their forefathers, and say "We will " have it." They should place themselves in such a position that "every . man would be " able to dwell under his vine and fig tree, • with no man able to make him > afraid. " Now, however, there was hardly a day ' during, which Parliament was sitting on 1 which they were not; in mortal fear that i something terrible was going to happen to • them. (Laughter and ! applause.) s ' SOME PAST ACHIEVEMENTS. 1 Mr. Barker (Marsden) said" that his g branch ; was opposed to the alteration of rule 14, and he combated the statement 3 that the union had done very little. He 3 said that' at the : last- Marsden election." a s poll of the local branch of the union was , taken in regard to the choice of a candi- . date. . Of a total of 160 members, 154 or e 156 were in favour of Mr. Mander, and . he maintained that the union . was the a means of the present member winning the 8 electorate. Mr. F. Dye (Kaukapakapa) , in endors- ; ing Mr. Barker's remarks, said there was no doubt that such men as Mr. Mander and the late Mr. Kirkbride had been rei turned to Parliament though the influence 7 of-the Farmers' Union. Referring to the ] question of town v. country, he said that • the fanners were not by any means an- , tagonistic to' the towns. Nor were the , towns, as a whole,-antagonistic to the'far- , mers. A few trade unions might be . against them, but the great majority of , ,towa dwellers, the majority of whom were

desirous ; of , acquiring /"freeholds of ~their own, were in sympathy with the; aspirations of the farmers. ; "V ~ V . Mr. ,Duxfield,(Ngaruawahia) £ also took exception to Mr. Scruby's remarks that the union had "achieved very little.. j Mr., Scmby: 1 did not say that; what I say, is that\the ; union has not done so much as it might have done. ] . PEOPLE WHO 'SHOULD s BE " SHUT 1 1 OUT." i - Mr. Duxfield agreed that the union 1 should organise itself ". in regard to politics. I There were . some who said that if they ; [went into politics it would kill the union. I The best thing/to: do was to raise a dis : | tinct line of: demarcation and shut such !people out. (Hear ; hear.) There were a ' ! number of members of the union who had relatives in the Civil Service and this fact | had an influence on such members. , Such individuals should be allowed to- go, and they should have, a ! united party. \ In many branches there - were members who were not acting in the best, interests of, the party, but who were doing their best , to create dissensions. If they altered their : rules, .as suggested, these people would , know that they would have to identify : themselves with one party /or the other : if they remained in the union. In ; regard ; to the question of town and country he • said that a great deal of \ the antagonism to towns arose from the ignorance of town people . regarding the conditions ■ under which the back-blocks settlers had to struggle. He .instanced the case of a late supporter of" the Government Land Bill, who after visiting some friends in the |back-blocks, changed his views' and an- ' nounced that he would ■ use his influence • ! against the Land Bill in future. (Ap- ; plaus'e.-): / _ ■' " ' , ! 'FREE; DISCUSSION. URGED. Mr. J. S. Wilson (Netherton), in supporting the motion, said tfiat they should not !go into politics with the idea of putting one set of men in or another set of men out of office. The old definitions of Liberals and Conservatives no longer applied.- He was at heart a Liberal, but he was also .heart and soul-an /Oppositionist, . and a supporter of such men as Mr. Massey / and Mr. , Lang.. (Applause.) He , hoped that the present embargo on the union would be removed, and that in ' future they would be able to freely discuss , whether the men in office were doing right or wrong. (Applause.) , / / < Mr. J. Shaw (Kinohaku) was of opinion , that rule 14 had been a source of: weak- , ness to the union. Many farmers, on be- , ing asked to join the union, said that they could see no good* in it, as party ,poli- '. tics were barred. If they did not 'have : this restriction./their membership would ' probably be doubled. _ /V * . . Mr. J. Garton (Orurn) said that if they ' had taken l party politics into their platform earlier they, might have prevented milch of the hampering legislation that had ; been passed. As for the, towns, if they : were- all swamped by a tidal wave the , country would still be able to find a mar- ( ket for its produce outside of the colony. ' A Delegate: How would you get it away without the wharves'. / . '„. . , Mr. Garton: > Oh, the ferro-concrete wharves .would stand. . (Laughter.) -, '' WANTED: A FIGHTING FUND. . '~/• Mr. T. W. Wilson (Paparoa): said that the workers' unions had already set them a good example in regard \to organisation. It was strange that the , farmers, who contributed the most : to- the ■„■ revenue, should have practically.no voice in Parliament. They must have, a fighting fund, and , the sooner , they commenced the. better. /Look at the workers and the Arbitral tion Court; if they, did not get what/they wanted they kept on fighting till they got it, ; r ' and the farmers ■ should * do : the same. (Hear, hear.) • ■- , , ' ■ . - Mr. • H." Wily (vice-president) said that they must be careful not to tack themselves oh to any existing party ; they must plough their ' own furrow. (Hear, hear.) ..They should I aim at clean.'administration,/ security of tenure, and an abolition of ; the sys- ' tern of patronage which the Government persisted in keeping up. . They should not. be content.-with'/'.the mere. affirmation of the principle, but they , must put " their shoulders to the collar and.push things forward. Referring to the question ;of party, he said that in opposing or supporting a particular measure .they did. not ne-, cessarily identify themselves with a party. ' A Delegate: The Land Bill is" a party question. . Mr. Wily said it was true that the Bill had " been brought forward /by a { certain party, but the Opposition party was powerless to stop it. It was the attitude taken up by the Farmers'. Union that saved'/ihe . situation last' session. - - , . a■: /./ •• • / Mr. G. J. Garland suggested that the motion should be consolidated:' in something like the following — ''■■'■ ' / ' :Iv : 3 "i : That this conference is strongly of opinion that tho New Zealand Farmers', Union Should form a .farmers' political 'party, and .by the abolition of rule 14, which.debars discussion of party politics, enable itself to -put forward candidates for ; such seats as it .is considered desirable. » , ■''■ • • , •■ He urged an'absolute need of combination. The -officials of the union should .be'-al-' lowed, to = select /candidates for Parliament, and /these candidates should be supported by all ' members of _ the union. (Hear, hear,)*, With such . a combination • there would not be much need of further organisation. "■ Unanimity/should be the: watchword of the union. / ' ~' ',' * ■- : " TALKING" NOT SUFFICIENT. : The President (Mr. L., R. Pliillipps) said the/union should have a political party of its own. No notice would be taken of any resolutions that l they passed unless they ! showed a determination to back them -up -by ..deeds. At- present the-union was j little more than a debating society. They j met and pasted a sheaf of resolutions, but very little notice was taken of them with the''exception of a few that it suited the powers that be to pay heed to; They i should form a distinct party,' bound to no I other party, and pledged to return men to the House who would treat all interests in a broad national spirit, and not ."merely to get something for. the*farmers at the expense . of the rest of ', the community. (Hear, hear.) ; The Farmers' Union was to be something more than a mere talking society; they-must show that they had teetti as well as tongues. (Applause.) •It was resolved to delete the motion forwarded by the Ohaeawai branch, as being unnecessary. The remaining two motions were then carried .unanimously, and ', it was decided that, the Auckland delegate (Mr. Bell) be instructed to bring the matter before the Colonial Conference. ' Mr.. J. S. Wilson urged "the need of a fighting fund, > and said a special subscription, if only of Is a member, would be of great assistance in .this direction.. ( No resolution was passed on this subject;